Phonograph needle and holder structure



M. W. SEVERANCE.

PHONOGRAPH NEEDLE-AND H-OLDER mucruae.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24.1921

i Jinn 101' Patented June 6,1922.

warren star-es] M ALVERN W. S'EVERANCE, OF CLEVELAND,

IPHONOG-RAPH NEEDLE AND HOLDER STRUCTURE,

Application filed February 24, 1921. Serial No. 447,626.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MALVERN ANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Phonograph Needles and Holder Structures, of which the follow ing is a specification. v

This invention relates to phonographs, and particularly to the needle and needle holder therefor. vention relates to those typesor makes of phonographs the sound box mechanism of which includes a sound box secured to the tone arm, a needle receiving member or socket connected to said sound box, and a lever arm connecting said needle socket with the diaphragm of the sound box.

One type of phonograph needle now on the market for the type of machine above mentioned, is made of steel, in several sizes, varying materially in length and diameter. These needles are adapted to'be secured in the needle socket such as by a set screw, and may be adjusted to different positions there in to vary thetone.- These needles,- however, have only oneplaying portion, the point of the needle, and when this pointisworn off after playing a-few records the needle is worthless and must be thrown away, inasmuch asthe shank of this type of needle is considerably larger than the groove. in a record, so that the needle would no longer enter the groove but would ride upon-the ridges thereof'and damage the record. Only a very few records can be played with one of these needles, necessitating the frequent changing of needles.

Another type of needle now on the market comprises a metal needle holder, adaptedto be secured in the needle socket, and in the end of which is solidly secured a short, fine tungsten wire or needle. This needle is very frail, having a diameter substantially equal to the width of a phonograph record groove. It is therefore obvious that only a very short portion of the needle can project or extend from the end of the needle holder. While a greater number of records'caii be played with a needle of this type,'the number is necessarily limited to the extent of the needle portion projected fromthe holder. When this portion is worn down practically to the holder, this needle must be thrown away, as the playing portion, the tungsten wire pro More specifically, the in.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11119 6, 192 2,- 1

jecting fromthe holder, cannot be renewed.

The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a new and improved needle and holderstructure which is, adapted for use in the ordinary needle socket offany of the well known makes or types of phonographs; which permits of easy and quick adjustment of the needle in its holder; and which-enables a very great numberof records to be played by adjustment of the needle inits holder so as to replenish the playing portion ofthe needle as it is-I con= sumed or worn down. I j

Further objects of theinvention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detailhereinafter. r

The inventio-ncomprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is aside elevation, showing the sound reproducer of an ordinary phonograph, with thelneedle and-holder secured- .thereto, the needle being. in playin-g position upon a record; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the needle and holder. w Referring to the drawings, l represents the tone arm of an ordinary phonograph, to

which is secured the usual sound box 2. 3 represents the .iieedle receiving .member or socket which is connected to thesoundibox in any suitable manner, such as by: the'ears l. i

orep'resents a lever and connecting said needle socket with the. diaphragmwti of the sound: box. 7; represents my improved needle holder, which is adapted to be inserted in the needle socket 3 and secured therein in any suitable manner, such as by the set screw 8. This holder may be made of any suitable material, such as brass, and com prises a cylindrical shank 9 for securement in the needle socket 3 and an enlarged head 10,the lower or bottom portion of which is flattened or cut away, as at 11, for a purpose which will later appear.

Adjustably and snugly secured in the holder 7, such as by the adjusting screw 12, i i

is the playing needle 13, which may be made of any suitable material, such as tungsten or piano wire. This needle which is of uniform cross section throughout its entire length is very fine, the diameter thereof being approximately six thousandths of an inch, substantially the width of the groove in the ordinary phonograph record,

It will be obvious that since the diameter 1 of the needle throughout its entire length is i practically to the holder.

substantially equal to the width of the record groove, the needle can be used without further adjustment until the portion projected from the holder has been worn down The adjusting screw 12 is then unloosened and a further portion of the needle extended, thus renewing or replenishing the playing portion. This step can be repeated until practically the entire needle has been consumed or,

used up.

It must be borne in mind that this needle 13 is very frail,the diameter thereof being. approximately six thousandths of an inch. It is therefore necessary that the support for the needle extend'relatively close to the record being played. In order to enable the needle to be thus supported, and to enable practically the entire length of the projected portion of'the needle to be consumed or used up before adjustment of the needle is necessary, the lower or bottom portion of the head 10 is flattened or cut away, as at 11, on a horizontal line, substantially parallel with the phonograph record being played, said record being indicated at 141. It will thus be seen that the needle is supported close up to the record, and that the entire projected portion of the needle, usually one-sixteenth of an inch, can be used or consumed before fur ther adjustment of the needle is necessary.

While I have shown the needle" socket 3 and the needle holder 7 as separate and dis tinct members, it is obvious that the needle holder may be made a unitary part of the needle socket without departing from the spirit of this invention. a

If the playing portion of the needle should become bent or flattened in any way, such as by dropping the needle and holder, the damaged portion of the needle can be easily cut off, and a further portion of the needle eX- tended, thus securing a new playing portion,

so that the entire needle does not have to'be thrown away as is the case with needles now on the market.

The opening in the holder is substantially of the same cross section as the width of the record groove, although in the present illustration the opening throughout the shank is shown as slightly larger than that throughout the head, this variation being due merely to the use of drills of different sizeswhich greatly facilitate the construction of these holders.

The needles and holders may, of course, be purchased separately, so that one holder and a very few needles willlast a very long time and enable a very great number of records to be played.

Further advantages of the inventionwill be apparent to those who are skilled in the art to which it relates.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A phonograph needle and holder structure, comprising a unitary holder member provided with a substantially cylindrical.

shank having at one end an enlarged head, the shank of said holder member being adapted for slidable engagement in the ordinary needle socket of a sound box, said holder member being also provided with a longitudinal needle opening, the diameter thereof throughout the head being reduced from that through the shank to approximately the'width of a phonograph record groove, the head of said holder member having a flattened portion extending back from the forward end of the needle opening and adapted to lie approximately parallel to the record when the needle is in operative posi tion, a phonograph needle of uniform cross section in said opening, and a set screw in said head for adj ustably securing said needle in said opening.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature.

MALVERN W. SEVERANCE. 

